(Bloomberg) – The country’s graft ombudsman used a probe into an apartheid-era bailout of a lender to attack the South African Reserve Bank and didn’t disclose a meeting with lawyers in President Jacob Zuma’s office to discuss the investigation before its findings were released, the central bank said.

By May, the investigation had turned “to an attack on the Reserve Bank” and not just an investigation into whether Absa should repay the bailout, central bank Advocate Johann de Jager said in court papers filed Sept. 11. “This attack is evidence of bias or at least a reasonable apprehension of bias on the part of the Public Protector. It also shows that her remedial action had an ulterior purpose.”

The logo of the South African Reserve Bank sits on a lecturn during a news conference by the Governor Lesetja Kganyago to announce interest rates on Jan. 28, 2016. Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg

Incomplete Records

The Public Protector’s record of proceedings of her probe are “woefully incomplete,” and didn’t disclose the June 7 meeting with the presidency to discuss her report, which is “a glaring omission,” the advocate said.

A document in the record about a meeting with “SSA,” which De Jager takes to be a reference to the State Security Agency, contains a note in a section dealing with the Reserve Bank with the question “how are they vulnerable,” he said.

Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, has been criticised for her recommendation to reduce the independence of the Reserve Bank (in effect, nationalising it). More magic available at jerm.co.za.

“It is unclear on what possible basis the vulnerability of the Reserve Bank was relevant to the Public Protector’s investigation into the CIEX report,” he said. “The fact that this topic was even discussed with the State Security Agency indicates that the Public Protector’s investigation was aimed at undermining the Reserve Bank.”

Cleo Mosana, a spokeswoman for the Public Protector, said by email that she was unable to comment because the matter is before the courts.